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Bill Would Allow Use Of Food Stamps At Farmer’s Markets
February 25, 2009

Few people have probably given much thought to whether or not Food Stamp recipients can buy food products at any place that actually sells food. After all, the “Lone Star Card” signs on the doors of supermarkets, mini-marts, and convenience stores are so commonplace that most people don’t give them a second though.

Written by Vince Leibowitz , Capitol Annex

Fresh-vegetables

Few people have probably given much thought to whether or not Food Stamp recipients can buy food products at any place that actually sells food. After all, the “Lone Star Card” signs on the doors of supermarkets, mini-marts, and convenience  stores are so commonplace that most people don’t give them a second though.

One interesting quirk of the Food Stamp program in Texas, evidently, is that recipients can’t walk into many farmer’s markets and actually buy fresh fruits and vegetables.

A new bill by State Sen. Elliot Shapleigh (D-El Paso) seeks to remedy that. SB 1088 directs the Health and Human Services Commission and Department of Agriculture to work together to ensure that farmer’s markets are able to accept Food Stamps, have the necessary terminals to process Lone Star Cards, and reach out to benefit recipients to let them know Food Stamp benefits can be used at farmer’s markets.

This is a good bill because it helps Texas’ most needy families by making sure they can access wholesome produce and prices cheaper than in chain markets (and probably of better quality than in most markets, t00) and helps small farmers who sell produce as well as the markets themselves by generating more business for them.

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